If you were going to just choose a place to live abroad....

[Susan in KY]

Where would you go?

 

DH and I are considering moving. The criteria are:

 

• a place with a slow pace of life (time for family),
  
• a high speed internet connection, and
  
• a low cost of living.
  
• Being able to homeschool legally is a must.
  

Beach access is preferable. I'd like to be able to visit places in Europe, though we could go to any continent (I'm not particular).

 

What do you think?

[Hen]

I'd love to move to Ireland. The cost of living might not be much lower than here, though.

[momof2cm]

I'd move to New Zealand, preferably the South Island. Not sure if homeschooling is legal there.

 

If you choose Europe, you'll have to go to Southern Europe. The north is very expensive. But by choosing the country (north or south) you'll enjoy a very family oriented environment, with a slow pace. ( too slow for me in the south)

[freethinkermama]

Oh, there are tons of places I'd love to go. But remember, just because you want to go there, doesn't mean you'll be permitted to immigrate. Find places you're interested in, and then see if you meet the criteria. :)

[Ravin]

I'd go with New Zealand or Australia. I'm not familiar enough with Europe to make any calls about cost of living, but the countries there I'd most like to live in aren't ones known for their beaches, at least not in the "sun and bathing suits" sense.

 

There are also parts of Mexico or Argentina I could dig living in. DH's first choice would probably be Thailand. I'd say (rural) Japan except for the cost of living.

[i.love.lucy]

Spain! But not sure about the cost of living. Oh, so beautiful.

[Rosie_0801]

I'd move to New Zealand, preferably the South Island. Not sure if homeschooling is legal there.

 

It is :)

 

But it is a long way from Europe.

 

The trouble with areas with low costs of living is that you usually have to commute a long way for work, then hubby misses out on the time with family.

 

Rosie

Edited September 19, 2010 by Rosie_0801

[pqr]

Not too sure of the HS laws but Bulgaria and Romania are beautiful and relatively cheap. If do move overseas ensure that there are Western hospitals.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Spain! But not sure about the cost of living. Oh, so beautiful.

 

 

:iagree:

[kmacnchs]

Where would you go?

 

DH and I are considering moving. The criteria are:

 

 

• a place with a slow pace of life (time for family),

• a high speed internet connection, and

• a low cost of living.

• Being able to homeschool legally is a must.

 

Beach access is preferable. I'd like to be able to visit places in Europe, though we could go to any continent (I'm not particular).

 

What do you think?

 

Kinda funny b/c you just described where I live (in North Carolina). :) Beach access is 3 hrs away, but everything else fits (we live in the country) :)

[Susan in KY]

Kinda funny b/c you just described where I live (in North Carolina). :) Beach access is 3 hrs away, but everything else fits (we live in the country) :)

 

Hmmm.

[OrganicAnn]

Ireland (but I've lived there before and just love it). I don't know if it would fit all of your criteria.

[mcconnellboys]

I don't know if it meets all your criteria or not, but I like Great Britain (nearly anywhere). Or, if you can do without Europe, I like Australia.... (I also like parts of Canada....)

[ma23peas]

You need to start watching "House Hunters" International...I've learned a lot about real estate in these areas...for your criteria I would consider Italy..I was surprised about Croatia as well..it's got nice places despite all the battles they suffered...

 

New Zealand is hard to get to, they've changed their laws allowing immigrants to come in...almost lottery or nothing....Spain and Portugal have nice areas, I would avoid France due to political issues and England is just too cold for my liking...very similar to Seattle type weather...blech.

 

Tara

[Corraleno]

I lived in the UK for 10 years, and it's really expensive compared to the US. Southern France is also expensive, but IMO the weather, food, and medical system are much better (we had a house about 2 hrs east of Bordeaux in the Dordogne). Homeschooling is legal in both countries, although very uncommon in France. I would say Spain would be your best bet if your criteria include (1) Western Europe, (2) relatively inexpensive (relative to the rest of Western Europe anyway), and (3) beachy, but I don't know about homeschooling there.

 

Jackie

[Rosie_0801]

Not too sure of the HS laws but Bulgaria and Romania are beautiful and relatively cheap.

 

 

I don't know any details, but I've heard of people homeschooling in Romania.

 

 

Rosie

[Deb in NZ]

New Zealand ;)

 

• HS/ing is legal & the gov't even pays you a supervisory allowance
  
• beaches are everywhere & usually within a short drive no matter where you choose to live
  
• highspeed internet is available in most places, but will NOT be cheap in rural areas
  
• pace of life can be slower, but there's tons for dc to get involved in if you want to be involved
  
• IF you are earning NZ$, the cost of living is higher than that in the US, but if you are spending US$ you get a good exchange rate.
  
• NZ is far from Europe, but close to Australia, the Pacific Islands, & Antarctica
  

 

[SonshineLearner]

I have to say that if I were able to live in France or some spot like that... I'd stick my kids in school for a while for some "language immersion" :) And.. wow... some time to explore by myself... all the coffee houses... and pastries!!

:)

(Oh yes.. museums and other education opportunities..., too!)

[Peela]

You want a "western" country?

I think Bali would be cool to live in for a year or two :) Very beautiful, family oriented, very cheap. Probably can't get a long visa though, not sure.

 

I agree Australia or New Zealand. Pace of life is slower here- depends on where you live, though.

I live in Perth on the west coast of Australia and for a city, this place is cool. Its not my birth city- I come from Sydney which I dont recommend because its too big and busy. Perth is slow, great lifestyle, great beaches, great homeschooling community, beautiful nature. Good for families. It has a reputation for being "dull" but thats for those sort of people who want lots of action. For a city..its beautiful. A large river/estuary runs through the centre of Perth dividing north and south. We live near the river and frequently see sea eagles, and many other birds.

The air is clean, too.

Australia has many great places.

 

I think New Zealand would be great, too.

[Cinder]

New Zealand ;)

 

• HS/ing is legal & the gov't even pays you a supervisory allowance

• beaches are everywhere & usually within a short drive no matter where you choose to live

• highspeed internet is available in most places, but will NOT be cheap in rural areas

• pace of life can be slower, but there's tons for dc to get involved in if you want to be involved

• IF you are earning NZ$, the cost of living is higher than that in the US, but if you are spending US$ you get a good exchange rate.

• NZ is far from Europe, but close to Australia, the Pacific Islands, & Antarctica

 

 

NZ sounds so good! Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to go to NZ. I haven't been there . . . yet, but it's still my dream. <sigh>

 

Cinder

[elegantlion]

Costa Rica, not sure about the homeschooling, but beautiful beaches. Where we were it was very laid back.

[Laura Corin]

Where would you go?

 

DH and I are considering moving. The criteria are:

 

 

• a place with a slow pace of life (time for family),

• a high speed internet connection, and

• a low cost of living.

• Being able to homeschool legally is a must.

 

Beach access is preferable. I'd like to be able to visit places in Europe, though we could go to any continent (I'm not particular).

 

What do you think?

 

You would have mountains rather than beaches though. You wouldn't want to go to one of the eastern Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai), but somewhere in, for example, Yunnan might work.

 

The Chinese don't police how foreigners educate their kids, life is cheap and is slower (a common way of saying good bye is, 'Go slowly'), and the internet connections are pretty good. It's rather a long way to Europe, but there are lots of cheap places to visit in Asia - Yunnan borders Tibet, Burma, Laos and Vietnam, and is near Thailand and Cambodia.

 

What would you do about visas? China (and most countries) doesn't hand out long-term visas unless you are a student or employed by a company that can apply for you.

 

Laura

[meet me in paris]

Panama! We're thinking of retiring there. Cost of living is very low, they are on the US$ so you don't have to worry about exchange rates, and they're very welcoming to US citizens. I haven't looked at hs laws there since my kids will be grown by the time we move there, but they seem to be a non-interventionist country.